Formula 1 driver Nicholas Latifi was so affected by online abuse and death threats after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that he hired bodyguards for his sightseeing trip to London with his girlfriend.

The 26-year-old Canadian was threatened after the season-ending race, where he crashed his Williams car into a wall just laps from the end. It led to a safety car, and late drama ensued when Max Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to claim the world title in one of the most controversial moments in F1 history.

“I was back in London after the race and had safety with me when I went to Winter Wonderland with my girlfriend,” he said Tuesday after Williams’ 2022 unveiling at Silverstone. “You have to take threats seriously because you don’t know what might happen and it’s just an unfortunate reality of the world we live in, and there have been extreme death threats that have overstepped the mark.” As outrage grew among some observers at how Hamilton missed out on a record eighth title, Latifi was unfairly caught in the crosshairs and took the threats very seriously after the December race.

“It sounds silly to some people, but at the end of the day, you don’t know how serious people are,” Latifi said. “All it takes is a drunken fan in an airport, or you run into somebody having a bad day and they’re inebriated under the influence of something, and they have these really extreme views.” Latifi planned to receive online abuse after Abu Dhabi so, at the time, he deleted Instagram and Twitter from his phone.

“I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to handle this. Do I just ignore it and move on? Or do I address it and tackle the bigger problem that unfortunately is a reality when you use the media social media?” he said in a statement at the time. “Using social media as a channel to attack someone with messages of hate, abuse and threats of violence is shocking – and something which I call.” The 23-race season begins on March 20 at the Bahrain GP.

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Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri has become the fifth team to unveil an example of its 2022 Formula 1 challenger, taking over from the AT03 in an online launch. The car, which will be raced by an unchanged driver line-up of Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda and features a similar livery to last year, has been designed to Formula 1’s radical new rules which aim to improve racing from wheel to wheel.

It also sports the larger, new-for-2022, 18-inch wheels. “It’s a fresh start for all the teams, starting from almost zero because we’re really looking at a clean sheet scenario,” said Frenchman Gasly, who had a strong season last year and scored points. in 15 of the 22 races in a Q&A issued by the team.

“It will be a big challenge for the teams to figure out how to build the best possible car to comply with the new regulations. Hopefully it works out really well for us.”

“I have no doubts about the capabilities of our team and so far they are quite happy with the job they have done.” AlphaTauri’s 2022 car will no longer carry Honda’s “H” branding, as the Japanese manufacturer has officially retired from the sport. Instead, as with sister team Red Bull, it will wear smaller HRC (Honda Racing Company) decals as the company will continue to manufacture engines for both outfits this season and provide trackside support.

Tsunoda, whose career has been buoyed by Honda, said he was aiming for a more consistent year. The 21-year-old showed flashes of speed but made too many mistakes in his 2021 rookie campaign before ending it on a high with a fourth-place finish at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“I want to improve my pace and the consistency of my riding,” Tsunoda said. “If I can work like I did in the last three or four races of last year, that will be a good way to start.”

Haas, Red Bull, Aston Martin and McLaren have already launched their cars. Williams is expected to reveal its challenger on Tuesday and Ferrari will launch its car on Thursday.

Manufacturer champions Mercedes will reveal their 2022 car on Friday. The 2022 season is set to start on March 20 in Bahrain.

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A Ukrainian skeleton athlete flashed a small sign reading ‘No War in Ukraine’ at the cameras as he completed a race at the Beijing Olympics on Friday night.

Vladyslav Heraskevych’s sign was printed on a piece of blue and yellow paper, matching the colors of his country’s flag. He did not post the message after his second race of the night, which was his fourth and final race of the Olympics.

“It’s my job. Like all normal people, I don’t want war,” Heraskevych said after finishing the competition. “I want peace in my country and I want peace in the world. It’s my position, so I fight for it. I fight for peace.’ The gesture came as Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, stoking fears in the West that Moscow is planning an invasion. Russia insists it has no such plans, but does not want Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to be allowed to join the Western NATO alliance. “In Ukraine it’s really nervous now,” Heraskevych said. “A lot of news about guns, about weapons, about what’s going to happen in Ukraine, about some armies around Ukraine. It’s not okay. Not in the 21st century. So I decided, before the Olympics, that I would show my position to the world. Shortly after the race, the International Olympic Committee said there would be no repercussions for the athlete. The question arose as to whether the court could consider Heraskevych’s action as a violation of Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter. This rule states in part that “no kind of political, religious or racial demonstration or propaganda is permitted at Olympic venues, venues or other areas”. “It was a general call for peace. For the IOC, the case is closed,” the Games governing body said on Friday evening.

Heraskevych said earlier that he was not concerned about possible repercussions.

“I hope the Olympics (support) me in this situation. No one wants war,” said Heraskevych, who was not a medal contender. “I hope this helps bring peace to our country.” The IOC has relaxed its rule against protests ahead of the Tokyo Games, allowing athletes to express themselves politically before the start of competitions. host country China, which has been accused of widespread abuses against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs, has also been criticized for its policies towards Tibet, its crackdown on freedoms in Hong Kong and the near disappearance of the sight of the tennis player Peng Shuai’s audience after accusing a former Communist Party official of sexual assault.

Concerns over human rights abuses have led some countries to organize a diplomatic boycott of the Games, while Chinese organizers have warned foreign athletes that any statement contrary to Chinese law could be punished.

Meanwhile, heightened tensions around Ukraine cast a pall over last week’s opening ceremony, when IOC President Thomas Bach implored participating countries to respect the long Olympic truce, which calls for the cessation of hostilities during the Games.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was present when Bach spoke, has warmed to China and some have suggested he may not want to invade Ukraine during the Olympics to avoid embarrassing his country. ally, Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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Bob Saget died last month from an accidental blow to the head, his family said in a statement.

The comedian and ”Full House” star was found dead Jan. 9 in a hotel room in Florida. He had played in the area the previous night as part of a stand-up tour.

“Authorities have determined that Bob died of a traumatic brain injury,” the Saget family said Wednesday.

”They concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, didn’t think about it and fell asleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved. ”The Orange County, Florida Medical Examiner’s Office did not immediately return a message requesting details of their investigation Wednesday night.

Saget, 65, was found on the hotel bed and there was no sign of foul play, authorities said last month. A hotel security guard had entered the room after Saget failed to check in and called 911 when he found him unresponsive.

Deputies and paramedics came to the room at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando and he was pronounced dead.

Saget was best known for his role as beloved single father Danny Tanner on the sitcom ”Full House” and as the wisecracking host of ”America’s Funniest Home Videos”.

Saget was on the road as part of his ”I Don’t Do Negative Comedy Tour”.

After warm receptions from the public at his concerts Friday in Orlando and Saturday in the resort town of Ponte Vedra Beach, he celebrated online.

”I’m back in comedy like when I was 26. I guess I’m finding my new voice and enjoying every moment of it,” he posted on Instagram on Saturday.

Saget’s death sparked an outpouring of affection from fans and colleagues, who remembered him as both funny and extraordinarily kind.

In the statement, the family said they were overwhelmed by the “incredible outpouring of love from Bob’s fans” and were heartened by it. ”As we continue to grieve together, we ask everyone to remember the love and laughter Bob brought to this world, and the lessons he taught us all: to be kind to everyone. , letting the people you love know you love them, and getting through the tough times with hugs and laughter,” his family said.

Saget was married to Kelly Rizzo Saget and had three daughters from a previous marriage.

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Kurt Zouma’s cats are being cared for by animal charity RSPCA after a video emerged showing the Frenchman kicking a pet on the ground, with Vitality suspending his sponsorship of his club West Ham United while Adidas dropped the defender.

The viral video https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/west-ham-condemn-zouma-kicking-his-cat-2022-02-08, filmed by Zouma’s brother, Yoan, and posted on social networks, showed the West Ham defender drops the tabby cat and knocks him to the ground. He is also seen slapping the animal and throwing a shoe at it, before chasing it around his property. “Both cats are now in the care of the RSPCA. Our priority is and always has been the welfare of these cats,” an RSPCA spokesperson told Reuters.

“They have been taken for a vet check and will then remain in our care while the investigation continues.” West Ham said Zouma had been fined “the maximum possible amount”, with UK media reporting the fine was two weeks’ wages. The 27-year-old accepted the fine, which will be donated to animal welfare charities.

“West Ham United can confirm that the Club supports an RSPCA investigation into the actions of Kurt Zouma in the video released online this week,” the London club said. But West Ham sponsor Vitality said it was suspending its sponsorship of the club with “immediate effect”.

“We are extremely disappointed with the judgment the club subsequently demonstrated in response to this incident,” Vitality said. “As such, we are suspending our sponsorship of West Ham United with immediate effect. We will now engage further with the club to understand what steps they will take to remedy the situation.”

Adidas said in a statement: “We have concluded our investigation and can confirm that Kurt Zouma is no longer a contracted athlete with Adidas.” An online petition to sue Zouma and have his animal rehomed had been signed by 165,000 people.

Another West Ham sponsor, Experience Kissimmee, said he was considering his position with the club after Zouma was selected for Tuesday’s win over Watford. The Florida-based tourism organization said it was “disheartened” that Zouma played in the Premier League game despite widespread condemnation of his actions.

In a Twitter post, Experience Kissimmee said: “It was disheartening to learn player Kurt Zouma was part of the West Ham United starting line-up.” Pending further information from WHU, we will assess our relationship and sponsorship. with the club.”

West Ham manager David Moyes, although disappointed with his player and describing himself as an animal lover, justified the decision to include Zouma. “My job was to try to win for West Ham and build the best team to achieve that,” Moyes said.

Zouma and his brother Yoan both issued apologies on Tuesday. Essex Police said they were investigating the incident.

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It was the interview many sportswriters wanted: a meeting with Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, primed and ready to speak with Western media for the first time about allegations she made of forced sex with a former senior Communist Party official who sparked a global wave of fears for his safety.

Marc Ventouillac, one of two reporters for French sports daily L’Equipe who spoke to Peng this week in a restrictive interview set up with Chinese Olympic officials, says he is still unsure whether she is free to say and do what she wants.

“It’s impossible to say,” he said in English. “This interview does not prove that there is no problem with Peng Shuai.” China’s intention, however, was clear to him: by granting the interview as Beijing hosts the Winter Olympics, it appears Chinese officials are hoping to end the controversy, so as not to pollute the event.

“It’s part of the communication, the propaganda, of the Chinese Olympic Committee,” Ventouillac told The Associated Press on Tuesday, the day after the L’Equipe exclusive was published. With “an interview with a major European newspaper, they can show: ‘OK, there is no problem with Peng Shuai. You see? The journalists (come), they can ask all the questions they want.’ The dinner Peng had with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and the appearances she made at Olympic venues shone a deliberate and controlled spotlight on the top-ranked three-time Olympian and former doubles player. On Tuesday, Peng sat down with Bach and watched American-born Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu win gold in the women’s big air. Apparently, the goal is to answer the question that other players and fans around the world have posted online: where is Peng Shuai? “It’s important, I think, for the Chinese Olympic Committee, for the Communist Party and for a lot of people in China to try to show, ‘No, there’s no Peng Shuai case,'” Ventouillac said.

The Women’s Professional Tennis Tour said the interview “does not alleviate any of our concerns” about the allegations she made in November. “Peng was bold in announcing publicly that she had been sexually assaulted by a senior Chinese government official,” WTA chief executive Steve Simon said in a statement. “As we would with any of our players around the world, we have requested a formal investigation into the allegations by the relevant authorities and an opportunity for the WTA to meet with Peng – privately – to discuss his situation.” Ventouillac said Peng “appears to be in good health.” To secure the interview, organized by the Chinese Olympic Committee with the help of the IOC, L’Equipe agreed to send questions in advance and to publish its answers verbatim, in the form of questions and answers. Originally allotted half an hour, Ventouillac said they ended up getting nearly double that and asking all the questions they wanted, beyond the “8 or 10” they had pre-submitted. “There was no censorship in the questions,” he said.

A Chinese Olympic committee official joined in the discussion, translating Peng’s comments from Chinese. The newspaper then called on an interpreter in Paris to ensure the accuracy of the remarks it published in French on Monday. It was his first discussion with non-Chinese media since the indictment. Ventouillac said one of L’Equipe’s goals for the interview was to show Peng face to face that “she is not alone” and that people around the world care about her.

He believes the international support helped protect her during the controversy. Someone less well known outside of China would likely be in jail for such an allegation against a senior official, Ventouillac speculated.

In a lengthy article in November, Peng wrote that Zhang Gaoli, a former vice premier and a member of the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, had forced her to have sex despite repeated refusals. The post, on her verified account on a top Chinese social media platform, Weibo, also said they had sex once seven years ago and she developed romantic feelings for him. him afterwards. Zhang did not comment on the accusation.

“Initially I buried it all in my heart,” she wrote. “Why would you even want to come find me, take me to your house and force you and me to have sex?” It was quickly deleted from his account. Peng told L’Equipe she deleted it but gave no reason other than to say, “Because I wanted to.” She also said the message was misunderstood.

“Sexual assault? I never said someone sexually assaulted me,” she told the newspaper.

“This message has caused a huge misunderstanding from the outside world,” she also said. “My wish is that the meaning of this message is no longer biased.”

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Nothing to see here, go your way.

That’s the message Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai delivered in a controlled interview in Beijing on Monday that touched on sexual assault allegations she made against a former high-ranking member of China’s ruling Communist Party. . His answers – delivered in front of a Chinese Olympic official – left unanswered questions about his well-being and what exactly happened.

The interview with French sports newspaper L’Equipe and the announcement that International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach met Peng for dinner over the weekend seemed aimed at defusing lingering international concerns about the three-time Olympian and former Olympics player. doubles tennis ranked No. 1. These concerns have threatened to eclipse the ongoing Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Peng told L’Equipe the concerns were the result of “a huge misunderstanding”. But the format of the interview seemed to allow for no sustained follow-up, with questions submitted ahead of time and a Chinese Olympic committee official sitting in the discussion, translating Peng’s comments from Chinese. Much of the hour-long interview, conducted at a Beijing hotel on Sunday and organized by the Chinese Olympic Committee with the help of the IOC, focused on Peng’s playing career. At 36 and after multiple knee surgeries, Peng said she could not contemplate a return to tour-level professional tennis. She hasn’t performed on the women’s tour since February 2020. The newspaper published her comments verbatim — which it said was another interview prerequisite — as a Q&A. Photos of Peng during the interview showed her wearing a red tracksuit top with “China” in Chinese characters on the front.

L’Equipe asked Peng about the sexual assault allegations that sparked controversy in November. The allegations were quickly deleted from his verified account on one of China’s major social media platforms, Weibo. She then dropped out of public view for a while, which led to “where is Peng Shuai?” questions online and from players and fans outside of China.

In her lengthy post, Peng wrote that Zhang Gaoli, a former vice premier and a member of the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, forced her to have sex despite repeated refusals. Her message also stated that they had sex once seven years ago and that she developed romantic feelings for him afterwards.

The interview with L’Equipe was his first discussion with non-Chinese media since the indictment. She returned to the original post.

“Sexual assault? I never said someone sexually assaulted me,” she told the newspaper.

“This message has caused a huge misunderstanding from the outside world,” she also said. “My wish is that the meaning of this message is no longer biased.” Asked by L’Equipe why the message disappeared from Peng’s account, she replied, “I deleted it.” “Why? Because I wanted to,” she added. The obvious follow-up question of why she posted in the first place was not asked. The IOC also worked on Monday to defuse the situation. He said Bach had dinner with Peng on Saturday, a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the Winter Olympics. The IOC said Peng also attended the China-Norway Olympic curling match with IOC member Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe.

Speaking at his daily Olympic press conference, IOC spokesman Mark Adams would not comment on whether the IOC believes Peng is speaking freely or is under duress.

“We are a sports organization, and our job is to stay in contact with it and, as we have explained in the past, to carry out personal and discreet diplomacy, to stay in contact with it, as we have done “, he said. “I don’t think it’s up to us to judge, in a way, just like it’s not up to you to judge either.” He said the IOC could not judge whether there should be an investigation into his initial allegations.

“I think we can say that we are doing everything we can to make sure this situation is as it should be,” he said.

In the interview with L’Equipe, Peng did not directly respond to questions about whether she had been in trouble with Chinese authorities since the post. Instead, she responded with a clumsy response that echoed views often voiced by the Chinese government on sports and politics.

“I had to say first of all that emotions, sport and politics are three clearly separate things,” she told the newspaper. “My love issues, my private life, should not be mixed with sports and politics.” When asked what her life has been like since the November post, she replied, “It’s how it should be: nothing special.” Peng thanked other players who expressed concerns about him. Among them, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams tweeted “we must not remain silent” in November and called for an investigation. But Peng also expressed puzzlement.

“I would like to know: why so many worries? she asked. “I never disappeared. It’s just that a lot of people, like my friends and among them those from the IOC, sent me messages and it was completely impossible to reply to so many messages. Peng told L’Equipe that a mental health counseling unit at the WTA sent him emails and a text message.

“It was very unfamiliar to me,” she said. “Why would I need psychological help or that sort of thing?”

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FIFA’s decline plan for biennial World Cups was branded football’s threat to all other sports by the International Olympic Committee on Thursday.

IOC President Thomas Bach has chastised his FIFA counterpart Gianni Infantino, an IOC member for two years, for not being in Beijing to hear criticism.

“We would all have loved to discuss FIFA’s proposal for a biennial World Cup with the FIFA President and IOC member,” Bach told around 100 colleagues at the traditional pre-Olympic meeting, some of whom were present. in person and others watching from a distance. .

Bach added, breaking with the usual politeness of IOC gatherings, that speaking directly to Infantino “is not possible against all odds as he canceled his visit to Beijing the day before yesterday.” Infantino had to watch from a distance, either from FIFA’s hometown of Zurich or Doha, where he was living ahead of this year’s World Cup. The tournament in Qatar begins in November.

The FIFA president has put forward a plan to hold men’s and women’s World Cups every two years instead of four. FIFA believes the plan will accelerate the development of football around the world, close the gap with European clubs and national teams that dominate competitions and add billions of dollars in revenue that it can share among its 211 national federations.

Infantino has strong support from Africa for the plan. But European and South American football bodies have said they will boycott the biennial tournaments.

FIFA’s plan has “no chance” of succeeding, South American soccer president Alejandro Dominguez told The Associated Press last week.

Mustapha Berraf, the president of the African Group of National Olympic Committees, led the IOC’s opposition on Thursday, saying the biennial World Cups would have a “heavy impact” on his continent.

“The plan promoted by FIFA as we speak would create immeasurable damage and endanger sport in general,” Berraf said.

IOC executive committee member Nenad Lalovic, representing summer sports, and Olympic gold medalist in table tennis Seung Min Ryu said adding more World Cups would increase the workload for players and put their health at risk.

“There comes a time when athletes have to say, ‘Stop,'” Ryu said.

After four interventions from IOC members, Bach asked for and received applause to convey the feeling of the room to Infantino.

Infantino has already faced criticism from sports executives when Bach and the IOC held an online meeting in December.

The momentum of FIFA’s plan stalled after European and South American officials expressed concern. Infantino then fired plans for an expected vote on the issue in December.

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Here are five facts about Jeff Zucker, who resigned on Wednesday as president of CNN and president of WarnerMedia’s news and sports division for failing to disclose https://www.Reuters.com/business/media-telecom/ jeff-zucker-resigns-cnn-president-2022-02-02 a consensual relationship with a close colleague. * Zucker, 56, graduated from Harvard College in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in American history, according to a profile on the CNN website https://www.cnn.com/profiles/jeff-zucker-profile.

* Zucker began his NBC career in 1986 as a researcher for NBC Sports’ coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. * In January 1989, he joined NBC News as a field producer for the program “Today”. He eventually became its executive producer. Under his leadership, “Today” became the most-watched morning news program in America, according to CNN’s website.

* He was president and CEO of NBC Universal from 2007 to 2011. Zucker has served as president of CNN Worldwide since 2013. * Born and raised in Miami, Zucker has four children and resides in New York City, according to CNN. He is divorced, his spokesperson said.

CNN is part of AT&T-owned WarnerMedia, which is being spun off in a $43 billion deal with Discovery Inc. (Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Howard Goller)

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Veteran international prop Sekope Kepu has been named captain of New Zealand side Moana Pasifika for his first Super League season, the team announced on Wednesday. Kepu, who made three appearances in the Australian World Cup with 110 Test appearances for the Wallabies, said he jumped at the chance to lead the fledgling squad, which mainly includes Tongan and Samoan players.

“There is an indescribable bond of brotherhood in this special team even though we have only been together for a few months at most,” the 35-year-old told the team’s website. “Coming back to New Zealand I never thought I would play rugby again. God works in mysterious ways, being here and then called up to Moana Pasifika’s team was something I didn’t think twice about. time.”

Moana’s coach Aaron Mauger says Kepu practically chose himself as captain. “From the start, he has led by example – both in the way he trains, prepares and in the way he contributes to the culture of our team.

“In doing so, he effectively chose himself as the leader.” Kepu was born in Sydney to Tongan parents. Although the family moved to New Zealand when he was young, he later opted to represent Australia internationally.

He also played Super Rugby for over ten years for the Sydney-based Waratahs. Auckland-based Pasifika play their opener against ACT Brumbies on February 18.

They join Fijian Drua in the new 12-team Super Rugby Pacific competition featuring the Australian and New Zealand professional teams.

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s sometimes tumultuous career at Arsenal is over after the club confirmed on Tuesday he left by mutual consent, paving the way for an expected move to Spanish giants Barcelona on a free transfer.

The 32-year-old striker has not played for Arsenal since December after manager Mikel Arteta sacked him as captain over a ‘disciplinary offence’. The Gabon international was also sent home at the start of his Africa Cup of Nations campaign after the Gabonese Football Federation said heart damage was discovered during tests carried out in Cameroon following a positive COVID-19 test.

“We wish Auba the best for the next chapter of his career and thank him for his contribution to the club,” Arsenal said in a statement posted on their website. Aubameyang joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund four years ago and was former manager Arsene Wenger’s latest signing.

He immediately became a fan favorite and scored 92 goals in 163 games for the club. One of his moments of glory was captaining Arsenal to their 14th FA Cup crown in 2020, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over Chelsea, after also netting a brace against Manchester City in the semi-finals.

Aubameyang scored 22 league goals in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns but could only collect 10 league strikes the following term as Arsenal finished eighth. After a long saga of drawn-out contracts, Arsenal tied Aubameyang to a new three-year contract in 2020, much to the delight of Gunners fans, who desperately wanted the striker to stay put.

But things have turned sour for Aubameyang this season, so much so that one of the club’s most prized assets was allowed to leave free of charge with 18 months remaining on his contract. According to Sky Sports, Aubameyang trained with Barcelona on Tuesday after flying to the Spanish city on Monday.

On Tuesday, Barcelona president Joan Laporta said: “We will introduce Adama Traore tomorrow and, if everything goes well, we will also introduce Aubameyang.” Barcelona have been looking to rebuild since Lionel Messi left for Paris St Germain and the Catalan club sit fifth in the La Liga table, 15 points behind leaders and rivals Real Madrid.

In a quest to bolster their attacking options, Barca have signed Spanish striker Ferran Torres https://www.Reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/barcelona-sign-spanish-forward-torres-man-city-2021-12 -28 from Manchester City for around 55 million euros ($61.34 million) as they also took Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Traore club-barcelona-on-loan-idUKKBN2K30F0 on loan. The club also attempted to offload French winger Ousmane Dembele, who hasn’t played since losing the Super Cup to Real Madrid earlier this month.

($1 = 0.8967 euros)

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The New York Times announced on Monday that it has acquired Wordle, the free online word game that has exploded in popularity and, for some, has become a daily obsession.

He said the purchase price was in the “lower seven figures”, but did not disclose details.

The Times, which features popular word games like Spelling Bee and its crossword puzzles, said “when it transitions to The New York Times, Wordle will be free to play for new and existing players, and no changes will be made. brought to its gameplay.” Wordle was created by Josh Wardle, a software engineer from Brooklyn. He originally did it for his partner, but went public in October. On November 1, only 90 people had played there. Within two months, that number jumped to 300,000 after people started sharing their scores on social media. Now the simple puzzle that lets players guess a five-letter word in six tries with no hints has millions of daily players, The Times said. It’s also become a viral phenomenon online, spurring imitators like “Airportle”, where you guess airport abbreviations, and “Queertle”, with words for the queer community. To play Wordle now, you need to visit its website. Just type a five-letter word. If any letters turn green, you have the right letter in the right place. Yellow letters mean the correct letter in the wrong place and gray letters mean they are not in the word of the day. Part of Wordle’s appeal is due to its simplicity, with no bells and whistles or ads or asking for your email address to play – just a website with 30 empty boxes and a keyboard. Some apps have tried to build on its success, confusing people who have downloaded – or even paid for – apps on their phones into thinking it’s the original Wordle.

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Nike has suspended its relationship with Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood, the sportswear giant said on Monday after accusations surfaced online that the 20-year-old striker assaulted a woman. United said on Sunday they were “aware of the images and allegations circulating on social media” and later confirmed Greenwood would not return https://www.Reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/uk-police- arrest-man-hours-after-manchester-utd-suspend-greenwood-2022-01-30 to train or play for the club at Old Trafford until further notice.

“We have suspended our relationship with Mason Greenwood. We are deeply concerned about the disturbing allegations and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” a Nike spokesperson told Reuters. The allegations against Greenwood – including video, photographs and a voice note – were posted to Instagram on Sunday and later deleted.

Greater Manchester Police had said a man had been arrested on suspicion of rape and assault and was being held for questioning after pictures and videos were posted by a woman reporting incidents of physical abuse. On Monday, police said detectives were given “additional time to speak to a man in his 20s”.

“The suspect was arrested yesterday (Sunday January 30) afternoon and remains in custody,” police added.

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Liverpool signed Luis Diaz from Porto to bolster their attacking options on the penultimate matchday of the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old Colombia international is yet to secure a British work permit to complete the transfer which will see Porto receive 45 million euros ($50 million) and potentially 15 million euros more in the coming years. come depending on Diaz’s success with Liverpool. .

Diaz is a skillful and exciting winger who has played for Porto since July 2019. He was tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi as the Copa America’s top scorer last season. Colombia face Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday.

Liverpool are next in action in Sunday’s FA Cup against Cardiff. The team are second in the Premier League, nine points behind Manchester City with a game less than the champions.

NEWCASTLE SIGNS GUIMARAES New Saudi-owned Newcastle have taken a major step by signing Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimarães from French club Lyon for 50.1 million euros ($55.8 million) and 20% of any value future sale.

Lyon announced the transfer fee on their website and Newcastle tweeted that they had signed a 4½ year contract. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund bought Newcastle in October and the Premier League club tweeted ‘Bruno is a Geordie’. The club also showed a photo of him signing his contract.

Newcastle are battling relegation to the Premier League with just two wins this season and sit in 18th place. Guimarães, 24, has three international caps for Brazil and has played well for Lyon this season. Guimarães was not the first choice last season after joining Athletico Paranaense two years ago for 20 million euros ($22.3 million).

Last year, he helped Brazil win Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games. In total, he scored three goals in 71 games for Lyon.

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Western Sydney Wanderers manager Carl Robinson was sacked less than 24 hours after his side crumbled to a demoralizing 3-0 A-League loss to Brisbane Roar on Saturday.

The loss leaves Wanderers second from bottom of the 12-team competition, seven games into a season in which they were set to challenge for the title. “Western Sydney Wanderers FC today confirmed the departure of…head coach Carl Robinson, effective immediately,” Wanderers said on their official website.

“Wanderers would like to thank Carl for his time at the club over the last 1-1/2 seasons and wish him the best in his future endeavours. The club will soon make an announcement regarding the coaching position- leader for the rest of the season.”

Robinson was appointed as head coach in October 2020 after nine months on a 3.5-year contract at Newcastle Jets, but the former Wales midfielder was unable to turn Wanderers into a contender On title. He led the club to eighth place last year and there has been no improvement despite signing Israel international Tomer Hemed and former England midfielder Jack Rodwell during the season tight.

Robinson’s sacking comes after the 45-year-old admitted he was under pressure as Wanderers have won just once this season. “There is pressure on every manager who is not in the top six in this league,” Robinson said after the Brisbane loss. “I’m no different because I’m a foreigner.

“You have to accept it, you embrace it, sometimes you have to enjoy it, no matter how hard it is.”

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The National Equestrian Show Jumping Championship will start on Saturday at the Amateur Riders Club (ARC) at Mahalakshmi Racecourse in Mumbai, the national federation announced on Friday.

Athletes aged 14 and above will be eligible to compete in the seven-day event, the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) said in a statement.

Athletes from Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata as well as the host city of Mumbai will participate in the annual event.

The competition will be divided into five categories: Novice, Grade III, Grade II, Grade I and Grand Prix.

Shyam Mehta, Chairman of the Amateur Riders Club (ARC) Mahalaxmi Racecourse, said: “In terms of precautions, we have made sure to adhere to all the rules and guidelines set out by the authorities. The safety of players, teams and staff is the top priority for us. We wish the best to all participants.” Col Jaiveer Singh, EFI General Secretary, said: ”The course designer for this championship is an FEI CD level 3 from Austria. For the first time ever, an NEC will be streamed live to our audiences around the world via an app.”

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Aston Villa signed defender Calum Chambers from Arsenal on Thursday, making him the club’s fifth addition of the January transfer window.

Chambers, 27, who can play in both central defense and right-back, has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Villa Park for an undisclosed fee.

His arrival follows those of Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne, Robin Olsen and Kerr Smith as Steven Gerrard reshapes his squad.

“It’s a great step to join the club. The club is gaining momentum and it’s an exciting time to be here,” Chambers told Villa’s website. “You can really feel that in and around of the building. You can feel the energy around the place.” Chambers made 122 appearances for Arsenal after joining Southampton in 2014, but has only played five games this season. DIALLO JOINS RANGERS Manchester United sent Amad Diallo on loan to Scottish champions Rangers for the rest of the season.

The 19-year-old winger joined United from Atalanta in January last year and has made nine appearances in all competitions.

Only one of them has come this season, in the Champions League against Young Boys in December when United were already guaranteed to pass the group stage.

“It’s fantastic for me at this stage of my career to have the opportunity to come to such a big club which is challenging on so many fronts,” Diallo said of his move to Rangers, “and will give me great opportunities. to test me in many environments. United also let another striker, Anthony Martial, go on loan during the January transfer window. Martial joined Sevilla.

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Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Mega Auction next month, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) launched the “KKR Mock Auction” on Thursday, a unique activity that will allow all KKR fans to experience operation of a real event. According to KKR, fans around the world can send in their suggestions and strategies for selecting the best players in the auction simulation. Fans would be guided to participate through the team’s website.

“The auction simulation is another step towards our commitment to bringing the game closer to our fans. There is a lot of curiosity among fans about the bidding process, and it’s great that they have the opportunity to participate and engage with people who are a crucial part of the auction itself,” said Venky Mysore, CEO and Managing Director of KKR. “It would be amazing to see the suggestions shared by our fans, and I look forward to interacting with them during this process,” he added.

To prepare fans for the mock auction, KKR’s think tank will deliver two exclusive masterclass lessons (January 29 and 31) via live sessions on the franchise’s social media channels explaining the working dynamics of an IPL auction. Applications must be sent via video, from which the Top 30 will be selected. These selected fans will form ten teams of three people each and compete in rounds designed for the bidding simulation.

KKR said five lucky winners of the auction simulation will have the opportunity to interact with the franchise think tank to discuss their suggestions for KKR’s 2022 team. (ANI)

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For journalists covering the Beijing Winter Olympics, China’s strict pandemic control measures create a surreal and somewhat frustrating experience. China requires electronic confirmation of the health status of those attending or covering the Games and sends them into a closed-loop bubble upon arrival. It kept Associated Press photo editor Yirmiyan Arthur spellbound as she traveled from New Delhi to Beijing via Tokyo on Tuesday. A colleague helped her download the app in Beijing, but the presence of health workers in biohazard suits reminded her that the restrictions would keep her inside the bubble forcing competitors, officials, staff and journalists to remain isolated from the general public. “I know that the only experience of Beijing I’m going to have is the one I’ll see through my bus window and my hotel window,” Arthur said. “I’m not really going to experience China, I’m just going to experience the Olympics in the bubble.” AP video reporter Johnson Lai faces more stress because China has no formal relations with his self-governing homeland of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory. The lack of login meant he was unable to complete the form in the Olympics app to get a code, which requires a test at a Chinese-approved hospital. “There are a lot of uncertain matters that we cannot control. We can only apply based on their procedures,” said Lai, who forgoes celebrating Chinese New Year with her family to cover the Games.

So far, organizers say there have been 39 positive results from more than 2,500 tests at the airport among those who have arrived for the Games since early January. In the bubble, there were 33 positives out of 336,400 tests. None of the positives involved athletes. The average time spent in solitary confinement for most was around six days.

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Hyderabad FC head coach Manuel Marquez said he was happy and satisfied that his team topped the Indian Super League (ISL) table but felt they should not stop improving as they looked to stay in that position at the end of the season. Regarding the win over SC East Bengal, Marquez said the team need to maintain this form in the remaining eight games.

“It’s always important when you win a game. And yes, we won the last game and at the moment we are with 20 points but we have to continue. There are eight games to play. Every game is a battle. Even the other day, in the first half when we were leading 3-0, there were times when SC East Bengal were better than us,” said Manuel Marquez in a pre-match press conference. , according to the ISL website. “But of course we have very good players and a very good team and eventually we could win the game. After a draw if you win it’s fantastic but if you lose those draws are not good. But we know how football works and now we have confidence in our team,” he added.

The head coach also praised Aniket Jadhav and said he was a player with “a lot of qualities”. “Aniket is a player with a lot of qualities. But he is young and can improve in many areas, especially in decision-making. But he is a player who, with his qualities in the future, can be a important player in Indian football because he is a player who can score goals, who can dribble, who can cross. I think he is an important player in our team at the moment,” the head coach said.

Hyderabad FC face Odisha FC in their next game on Thursday and would need a win to ensure they cement their place at the top for now. (ANI)

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Australia are set to tour Pakistan with a full squad as no player has so far expressed reservations about a trip to the country which has been unable to host top international cricket. level for nearly a decade due to security concerns.

The last time Pakistan hosted an ICC event on home soil was when they co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka. The terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 ensured that Test cricket remained banned until 2019. Last year, before the T20 World Cup, New Zealand and the England had withdrawn from the Pakistan tour for security reasons, with the Kiwis withdrawing at the eleventh hour. However, Australia appeared to be on track to embark on their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years, with national coach George Bailey calling the security plans “very, very robust and very, very thorough”.

“I think the boards are still working out some of the minor details for this tour, so once that’s been officially approved we’ll announce the team’s message, but we’re reasonably well advanced. ” Bailey told reporters on Tuesday according to the Cricket Australia website.

The last time Australia visited the Asian nation was in 1998, under Mark Taylor. All is positive regarding the Pakistan tour but there is uncertainty over Sheffield Shield’s resumption of the season, although coaches may not be required to see Shield’s performances to pick the team after. the Ashes 4-0 loss to England. “Whether we need (see any Shield cricket) or not, I’m not quite sure what opportunity we’ll get,” Bailey said.

“But the one thing I think we have to really agree with is that we have to accept what we’re getting at the moment and be flexible.

”I think one of the big things and maybe one of the reasons the players performed so well in the Ashes was that there were a number of players who had a good Shield cricket bank. before this series.

”Whether it’s for Pakistan or not, you would certainly hope that there is an opportunity for a bit of Shield cricket at some point just because of the competition and to continue to see guys improving and having the opportunity to show off their wares,” Bailey added.

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Odisha FC assistant coach Anshul Katiyar was left disappointed after their 0-0 draw with ATK Mohun Bagan in the Indian Super League (ISL) at PJN Stadium, Goa on Sunday. It was an end to end game where both teams did their best to score a goal. Odisha FC held off a good attack from ATK Mohun Bagan and will be eager to build on them in their upcoming games.

“Yeah, we can say it’s lost points because we had chances. I’ll come back to analyze the game, and we’ll see the xG and all those things. So I think we had chances and we did well. done in all parts whether in defense or attack. So yes, points dropped,” Anshul Katiyar said in a post-match press conference according to the ISL website. The coach also said he was impressed with Liridon Krasniqi as he just needed to work on his consistency.

“He’s always impressive. So he just needs to bring consistency, so he’s a different player. So today he showed some attitude towards the team. And like he’s a very good game, but I just want to see more consistency from him as in every game he should be at the top level,” the assistant coach said. Katiyar also believes the team needs to improve in all areas on offense and defense in transition.

“I think we need to improve in all areas in attack and defense in transition. So now I think the players are more comfortable, they have good communication, they have a game plan and now we We’re ready every day. And I think we’re going to improve in all four areas,” Katiyar said. “As you know, in set-piece defense, we’ve already improved. Thus, since the last two games, we have not conceded a goal from set pieces. So we are improving step by step, the whole staff is working towards that,” he added.

The result puts Odisha FC in sixth place, level on points with Hyderabad FC, currently in the semi-finals. (ANI)

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Canadian snowboarder Max Parrot said on Friday the mental toughness he gained during his battle with cancer has carried over to the slopes where the slopestyle silver medalist from Pyeongchang now hopes to do better and win the gold at the Beijing Olympics.

Parrot’s career was put on hold when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December 2018. Two months after being declared cancer-free in mid-2019, Parrot won an X Games big air gold medal at the of his return to competition. Showing no signs of rust, Parrot also won a World Cup gold medal later that year and started 2020 with another big air gold medal at the X Games in Aspen.

“Every year I get better and better physically and mentally, and especially going through a challenge as big as cancer, you really get harder mentally,” Parrot said during a virtual press conference. “If you think back to my season right after my cancer… That was pretty much my best year ever.”

Parrot finished fifth on his Olympic debut at the 2014 Sochi Games before a second-place finish in Pyeongchang. The 27-year-old Canadian, pre-qualified for the slopestyle/big air team, traveled to Beijing based on his results from the 2020-21 winter season and is not shy about sharing his intentions.

“Of course my goal is to go for gold, that’s for sure,” said Parrot, whose battle with cancer is chronicled in a documentary called “MAX – Life as a Gold Medal” which was released this week. on its website. “But I’m really happy also that if I don’t get the gold I won’t have any regrets because I did everything in my power in the last two months and that was something great. ‘important to me too, just not to have no regrets.’

Although there were a few days during Parrot’s cancer battle when he wondered if he would ever return to the sport he loves, he said he never let those thoughts take hold. the top. “When I had cancer, it was ‘OK, I’m going to do treatments, I’m going to do them as best I can’ and even though I didn’t know if the treatments would work or not, in my head, the cancer had no chance against me,” Parrot said.

“I had a lot of determination and drive and all the time I just wanted to get back to my passion as soon as possible. But never going back to it wasn’t really an option in my mind.”

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United World Wrestling (UWW) has postponed Matteo Pellicone and announced that Almaty and Tunis will be the host sites for the other two events in the Ranking Series 22 on Thursday. According to an official statement, despite the efforts of the Italian Wrestling Federation to welcome Matteo Pellicone from Rome on the previously scheduled dates of February 4-7, the latest restrictions due to the Omicron variant have proven to be an obstacle to the organization of the event. ‘event.

The tournament will now take place June 22-25 in Rome, Italy, ahead of the European U20 Championships, which begin June 27 at the Pala Pellicone. United World Wrestling has selected Africa and Asia as the host continents for the remaining pair of 2022 events.

Along with the season-opening ranking event – the Yasar Dogu – in Istanbul, Turkey (February 24-27), the second event will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan (June 2-5). The Matteo Pellicone will be the third event (June 22-25), with Tunis, Tunisia being the final Ranking Series stop of the season (July 14-17).

2022 Ranking Series Schedule: 1st Ranking Round: February 24-27, Istanbul (TUR)2nd Ranking Round: June 2-5, Almaty (KAZ)3rd Ranking Round: June 22-25, Rome (ITA)4th ranking series: July 14-17, Tunis (TUN)

“We really believe that these adjustments will be beneficial for the sport and for the competitions held each year,” UWW President Nenad LALOVIC said in a statement announcing the changes. “Points will be awarded to wrestlers, based on their ranking in these events. At the end of the year, the athletes with the highest number of points will become the best wrestlers of the year,” he said. he adds.

One of the biggest changes made by the Board was the approval of updates to the current competition ranking and ranking system. The UWW has also decided to add the XIX Mediterranean Games in Oran, Algeria (June 27-30) as a trial event to award ranking points to wrestlers participating in the Games.

However, final ranking points will only be awarded based on results in four of the five events for athletes competing at Regional Games. Points from the Olympics, Senior World and Continental Championships are not affected. The following competitions will determine a wrestler’s ranking:

Ranking Series (International Tournaments selected by UWW) Senior Continental Championships Senior World Championships or Olympics XIX Mediterranean Games (eligible wrestlers) “We encourage all of your athletes to compete at these events,” Lalovic said. “The [ranking] the points will serve them when we establish the seeds for the continental and world senior championships.”

The new rankings have been updated on uww.org, with wrestlers holding points at the Tokyo Olympics and the Oslo World Championships. Another important decision was to change the number of seeds in different competitions. As a result, the Bureau approved having eight seeds for the Senior World Championships and Olympics instead of the previous four.

Likewise, the number of seeded wrestlers at the Senior 22 Continental Championships will now be four instead of two. The seeds will be determined by the Ranking Series events organized before the aforementioned competitions but also taking into account the points earned at the 2021 Senior World Championships and the Tokyo Olympic Games. USA and Azerbaijan to host World Cup 22

In a first, the UWW will host a combined Freestyle and Women’s Wrestling World Cup in Iowa, USA. Iowa will host the Combined World Cup for two consecutive years – 2022 and 2023 – marking a fresh start in the wrestling schedule. This will also be the second time Iowa has hosted the Freestyle World Cup. The legendary Carver-Hawkeye Arena on the University of Iowa campus hosted the 2018 World Cup.

After a four-year absence, wrestling will return to Baku, with the Bureau having tentatively approved the Azerbaijani capital to host the Greco-Roman World Cup pending a site inspection visit. The tournament will take place on November 5 and 6. The schedule was completed with the selection of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as host city for the Senior Asian Championships (April 19-24). (ANI)

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Australia manager Justin Langer says he is proud of the team’s achievements over the past two months and that although his current contract is coming to an end he is not worried about his future ahead of talks with cricket board officials. The 51-year-old’s tenure appeared to be on thin ice last year amid reports that his coaching style had caused discontent in the dressing room.

But the former Test batsman has since guided Australia to their maiden Twenty20 World Cup triumph in November and oversaw their 4-0 draw against England earlier this month. “I’m never nervous (about the future),” Langer told SEN Radio.

“Whatever happens from now on, we can all be incredibly proud of this little period.” Langer said the success was due to their impeccable preparation ahead of major competitions.

“We had two missions: to win the World Cup and to win the Ashes. To do this in such a short time is a monumental effort and we’re all really happy with it, we’re all really happy about it, we’re all really, really proud of that.

“I’m sitting here right now feeling really satisfied with the last two sets.” Cricket Australia’s high performance chief Ben Oliver said the players would be consulted before making a decision on Langer’s future.

Langer’s former teammate Ricky Ponting says the board should give him a new contract. “I don’t see how he hasn’t (offered himself another contract),” Ponting told the website www.cricket.com.au.

“I know there’s been a bit of noise over the past two weeks and Cricket Australia hasn’t given him any assurances to continue. I don’t see how Justin can’t continue.”

Australia will tour Pakistan in March, their first to the South Asian country since 1998, to play three Tests, an equal number of one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match.

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Robert Lewandowski has been voted the best men’s player in the world, retaining the FIFA award he won last year despite not appearing on the ballot cast by runner-up Lionel Messi.

The Bayern Munich forward on Monday overturned last month’s Ballon d’Or result where he finished second to Messi, who eventually led Argentina to a senior title at the 2021 Copa América. Mohamed Salah of Liverpool finished third.

“I’m very honored to win this trophy,” Lewandowski said over a video link from Munich. The trophy was handed over by club officials during the online ceremony held at FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Monday.

Lewandowski was the overwhelming choice of national team captains and coaches as well as selected media in more than 200 countries, but was almost overtaken by Messi, who got more than double the number of votes from fans around the world than the Polish captain. .

All three candidates voted as captains of their national teams and Lewandowski ranked Messi second of his three choices. Salah had Lewandowski and Messi in his top three.

Messi didn’t choose any of his closest rivals in the vote. His first two choices were Neymar and Kylian Mappé, now his teammates since joining Paris Saint-Germain in August.

Lewandowski broke two Bundesliga records by scoring 41 goals for Bayern in their 2020-21 season and 43 in the 2021 calendar year. Both marks had been held since 1972 by another Bayern great, Gerd Müller. “If you asked me a few years ago if it was possible, I would have said no, it’s impossible to score so many goals in the Bundesliga,” said Lewandowski, who has scored four more in two games this year. .

On the women’s side, Alexia Putellas added the FIFA trophy to her Ballon d’Or win. Putellas captained Barcelona to their maiden Women’s Champions League title and teammate Jennifer Hermoso came third in the FIFA vote. The runner-up was Sam Kerr of runners-up beat Chelsea.

Chelsea won the coaching awards in a year when their men’s and women’s teams led by Thomas Tuchel and Emma Hayes reached their Champions League final.

Tuchel again finished ahead of Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola to repeat the result of their European title match. Guardiola finished third after leading City to the English Premier League title and a dazzling lead this season after beating Chelsea on Saturday.

Roberto Mancini finished second in the FIFA vote after leading Italy to win the European Championship.

Hayes appeared surprised to win the women’s football coaching award ahead of Lluis Cortes. His Barcelona team beat Chelsea 4-0 in the Champions League final. Sarina Wiegman, who left 2017 European champions Netherlands to take over in England, finished third.

In an evening of surprises and quirky picks, a global player vote to choose their World XI rosters was curious.

None of the three candidates for the women’s individual award were voted into the best women’s team, which also lacked Barcelona players.

Salah was also missing from the men’s squad roster which had an unusual 3-3-4 formation which allowed for a forward line of Messi, Lewandowski, Erling Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo was also FIFA’s star guest in Zurich. The Portuguese star appeared in person to close the show and receive a special award for breaking the all-time record in the men’s national football team. A long established tradition at the FIFA awards has been extended for another year. Six-time winner Messi and five-time winner Ronaldo both ignored each other on the ballots they submitted. Ronaldo voted for Lewandowski as his number 1.

Women’s national team leading scorer Christine Sinclair of Canada’s Olympic champion also received a special FIFA award earlier on the show.

Two awards have been handed out to Denmark for the in-stadium reaction to national team star Christian Eriksen’s collapse from cardiac arrest during a European Championship match in Copenhagen.

The FIFA Fair Play Award was given to the Danish players and medical staff who protected and treated Eriksen. The top fans award was shared by Denmark and Finland, whose supporters chanted Eriksen’s name as he was treated on the pitch before it was clear he would recover.

The Puskas Award for Best Goal went to Erik Lamela for the rabona flick he scored for Tottenham against Arsenal in the Premier League in March.

The best goalkeeper awards were won by Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy and Chile’s Christiane Endler, who left PSG for Lyon during the off-season.

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Four-time Formula 1 world champion Alain Prost accused Alpine of disrespect on Monday after learning he had left the Renault-owned team of which he was a non-executive director. The 66-year-old, the only Frenchman to win the title, joined the team in 2017 as an advisor.

The media, including the official website www.Formula1.com, reported that Alpine did not renew Prost’s annual contract, although there was no official statement from the team, as part of direction changes. Prost said on his Instagram page that he was “very disappointed” with how the news came out.

“It was agreed that we would announce together with @alpinef1team! No respect sorry!” he said. “I declined the offer made to me in Abu Dhabi for the 2022 season due to a personal relationship and I was right! To the Enstone and Viry team, I will miss you. “

Alpine announced last week that executive director Marcin Budkowski, who effectively ran day-to-day operations, had left the team with general manager Laurent Rossi temporarily taking over. A restructuring a year ago saw the departure of team principal Cyril Abiteboul.

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McLaren boss Zak Brown on Monday called for stronger leadership in Formula 1 to reduce the power of big teams and prevent the pinnacle of motorsport from turning into a pantomime.

In a post about the year ahead on McLaren’s website, Brown said some rivals were looking for ‘excuses to raise the cost cap and win world championships on checkbooks’ while gaining an advantage with teams B. Without naming names, the American said “at times it seemed like the sport was ruled by certain teams” and that more leadership was needed from Liberty Media-owned Formula 1 and the governing FIA .

The FIA ​​elected a new president last month, Emirati Mohammed Ben Sulayem, in place of Frenchman Jean Todt, while Italian Stefano Domenicali took over as Formula 1 boss last year. The 2021 season ended in uproar, with Mercedes accusing race director Michael Masi of robbing Lewis Hamilton of an eighth crown with a late change to safety car procedure that favored Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who won the title.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and Red Bull’s Christian Horner spoke on the radio to Masi during the race and the Australian official’s future remains uncertain, with some saying his position has become untenable. Brown said the past had been characterized by “a mostly autocratic style of governance”, a reference to decades under former supremo Bernie Ecclestone, and a more consultative approach was needed to reset the sport.

“Moving forward, there is a need to return to stronger and more directive leadership and governance at the top of the sport,” the American said. “It is clear that certain rules and their governance are not acceptable as things stand.”

Brown said the teams contributed to inconsistencies in policing and voted for many of the rules they now complain about. He suggested that the events in Abu Dhabi, under investigation by the governing body, resulted from systemic failures with “an apparent lack of preparation for the unfolding of events and temporary inertia on solutions”.

“It was the teams who put the pressure on to avoid finishing the races under the safety car at all costs,” he observed. “It was the teams that used radio broadcasts to the race director to try to influence penalties and race results, to the point where an over-excited team manager played from the stands and pressured the race officials.

“It hasn’t been uplifting for F1. Sometimes it feels like a pantomime audition rather than the pinnacle of a world sport.”

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A massive fire broke out at the Secunderabad Club heritage building here in the early hours of Sunday, damaging most parts of the structure, police said. However, there were no casualties, they said.

A police patrol team noticed the fire around 3:15 a.m. and alerted the fire department and seven fire trucks, including one from the army, were dispatched to the scene and the flames were extinguished by 6 a.m. a police official told PTI.

It was a major fire and based on a preliminary investigation, the cause of the fire is suspected to be a short circuit, the official said.

Visuals on social media showed the building completely engulfed in flames.

According to Secunderabad Club website, Secunderabad Club was established by the British in 1878 and it is one of the oldest clubs in India. Situated on a 22-acre campus, the Club’s century-old Main Club House, lovingly and aesthetically maintained, has been awarded heritage status by the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority. The club offers dining, reading, indoor and outdoor sports with its own cricket ground and extensive leisure facilities. It may be the only member club to have its own dedicated sailing annex, its website says.

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